Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 30) — Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI) host Jeffrey “Ka Eric” Celiz said his information on the alleged ₱1.8 billion travel expenses of House Speaker Martin Romualdez came from a Senate employee, which could set an awkward situation on the interparliamentary relationship of Congress.
With such information, the House Committee on Legislative Franchises will send a transcript of the hearing on the travel fund allegation to the Senate in hopes it would issue a response over the matter.Bakit nanggaling pa sa Senate ang source [Why did the source come from the Senate]?” said House Senior Deputy Speaker and Pampanga Rep. Aurelio Gonzales Jr. “That is a big question mark to me and I think of my colleagues.The House panel on Thursday conducted its investigation into SMNI after Quezon Rep. David Suarez delivered a privilege speech about the issue and called the committee to exercise its oversight function.Celiz, a self-proclaimed former rebel, is a talent and one of the hosts of SMNI’s “Laban Kasama Ang Bayan,” where he said in an episode that he received information Romualdez spent ₱1.8 billion for travel expenses for almost one year.Lawmakers pressured Celiz to disclose the identity of his source but the SMNI talent insisted he would not name the person.He cited the Sotto Law, which protects journalists and other practitioners involved in news dissemination from being compelled to name their sources.According to Republic Act 11458, which expanded the coverage of the Sotto Law, journalists can only be forced to reveal their sources if the court, the House of Representatives, the Senate, or any committee of Congress “finds that such revelation is demanded by the security of the State.Celiz, however, said the source was a Senate employee. He said this after Rep. Suarez pointed out that during the TV episode, Celiz said his information came from a source in Congress.Due to the revelations of Ka Eric, I think we are treading on very dangerous waters when it comes to interparliamentary relationship with the Senate,” Suarez said.Parañaque City Rep. Gus Tambunting, the panel chairperson, also approved Suarez’s motion to send the transcript and video of the hearing to the Senate to seek its response.During the hearing, House Secretary-General Reginald Velasco said the total travel expenses of Congress in its official trips from January to October 2023 was ₱39.6 million, including over ₱4.3 million for the Office of the Speaker.House finance department head Dante Maling also confirmed the amount.Celiz said he takes “full responsibility” for his false information.I take full responsibility on behalf of the program anchor and my personal capacity, and even from the station, to take responsibility that this is a hard lesson learned na pwedeng makuryente at mapaso tayo kapag hindi nagkaroon ng tinatawag na pag-observe ng [that we can get a bum steer if we do not observe] due diligence, prudence, and propriety in the source verification,” Celiz said.Celiz said he would apologize “if that will heal the wound of the degree and amount of insult that was forwarded to Congress.
